Compassionate Leaders Circle: Recent Episodes
Compassionate Leaders Circle
Welcome to the Compassionate Leaders Circle podcast where we feature compassionate leaders who positively impact their communities and the world. For thousands of years, the sages have known that compassion is a powerful force for good. In the last two decades, compassion scholars caught up with these sages, proving an ROI to building loving communities and businesses. This podcast features leaders who can teach us about the power of compassion and is hosted by Laurel Donnellan and her team at Compassionate Leaders Circle. Laurel is a founder, author, and contributor covering compassionate leadership at Forbes.
What happens when someone spends a career being the only woman at the table — and then decides to change who gets a seat?
In this episode, Laurel sits down with Molly Huyck, founder and CEO of Equitas Invest, a crowdfunding platform built to close the massive funding gap facing women entrepreneurs. Molly's path wound through Union Pacific Railroad, a startup she built and sold during the dot-com era, and a decade at PayPal helping scale operations to 400 million customers worldwide — all before she set out to tackle a problem she couldn't unsee: for every dollar invested, women-led businesses return more than double what male-led businesses do, yet access to capital remains stubbornly unequal.
Molly and Laurel dig into the real stories behind the founders on her platform — including a nurse practitioner turned med-tech entrepreneur building lifesaving devices for NATO — and what it actually takes, emotionally and operationally, to bring a founder's story to funders. They also talk candidly about the loneliness of entrepreneurship, the importance of community over competition, and how Molly has configured Claude as a kind of always-on advisory board (complete with a marketing persona, a CEO coach, and even an "antagonistic" voice to pressure-test her decisions).
And because one world-changing business apparently wasn't enough, Molly also shares the story behind Set the Bar, the women's sports bar she opened in Omaha — proof that when you build something rooted in your own values, community follows.
This is a conversation about capital, courage, and what it means to build a table wide enough for everyone.
"As Native people, we're closer to our own communities, so we know how to problem-solve in our communities. We're closest to the problem, we're closest to the answers."
Laurel Donnellan sits down with Angelique Albert, CEO of Native Forward (formerly known through its 56-year history of supporting Native scholars), for a candid, moving conversation about generational trauma, educational access, and what it takes to lead an organization at the center of both.
Angelique traces her path from growing up on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwest Montana to leading the largest funder of Native scholars in the country. She shares the story of her grandfather, taken from his family at age five and forced into a Catholic boarding school — a history that shaped both her family and her life's work. From there, the conversation moves into the scale of what Native Forward does today: over 22,000 scholars funded across 56 years, 2,200+ Ph.D.s, and more than 2,000 tribal lawyers now practicing across the country.
But the conversation doesn't shy away from the hard numbers either. Native college attendance has dropped 45% since 2013, and this year Native Forward received 12,000 applications but could only fund 2,000 — a gap Angelique attributes largely to recent federal funding cuts affecting Native students, even though tribal citizens aren't technically classified as DEI beneficiaries. She also discusses a recent unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott, and how Native Forward is using it to build a scholarship endowment aimed at serving "the next seven generations."
The episode closes with reflections on authenticity in leadership, the importance of loving your whole life story — including the hard parts — and a preview of a new career-development collaboration Laurel is exploring with Native Forward's scholar community.
Laurel Donnellan sits down with David Cumberbatch, newly appointed Managing Director of North America for the Project Management Institute (PMI), for a wide-ranging conversation on education, career readiness, and leadership in a rapidly changing world of work.
David traces his path from a childhood in Trinidad and Tobago — shaped by a grandfather who ran the country's largest orphanage — through Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, to formative years at Procter & Gamble and Microsoft, and now to leading PMI's 800,000-member global community. Along the way, he and Laurel compare the British and American education systems, unpack why generation beta may hold 18 to 30 jobs across 7 to 10 career chapters, and discuss the delicate balance of introducing technology and AI to young learners.
The conversation turns to PMI's own AI transformation — including its new CPM AI credential, the PMI Infinity AI companion platform, and an updated PMP exam that now includes AI and sustainability content. David makes the case that durable "power skills" like critical thinking and interpersonal communication matter more, not less, as AI reshapes project work, and shares how PMI is building accessible pathways (like the CAPM certification) for people without a four-year degree to reach six-figure project management careers.
The episode closes with David's reflections on leadership: the foundational role of safety and trust in lasting relationships, the lesson he carried from PNG's promotion-from-within culture versus Microsoft's "up or out" model, and his belief that compassionate leadership and competitive excellence aren't in tension — they're the same thing.
Guest BioDavid Cumberbatch is the Managing Director of North America for the Project Management Institute (PMI), overseeing the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Raised in Trinidad and Tobago, David earned a double honors degree in computer science and economics from the University of Kent at Canterbury, then studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. His career spans Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, the Gates Foundation, and ACT, with the last 20 years focused on the intersection of education, technology, and workforce readiness.
Resources & Links Mentioned* PMI website: pmi.org * PMI job board (for certified members) * PMI Infinity (PMI's AI companion platform) * CPM AI Certification and CAPM/PMP certification pathways * PM Ready certificate (high school level) * University of Pennsylvania high school internship training program * Crimson Global Academy (referenced re: UK/US K-12 comparison — see Laurel's earlier interview) * Opportunity@Work (referenced re: non-degree career pathways)
Resources & Links Mentioned* PMI website: pmi.org * PMI job board (for certified members) * PMI Infinity (PMI's AI companion platform) * CPM AI Certification and CAPM/PMP certification pathways * PM Ready certificate (high school level) * University of Pennsylvania high school internship training program * Crimson Global Academy (referenced re: UK/US K-12 comparison — see Laurel's earlier interview) * Opportunity@Work (referenced re: non-degree career pathways
What does it take to build a career — and a life — after the justice system has already written you off? In this conversation, Laurel sits down with Larry Miller, founder of JUMP, and Ken Oliver, JUMP's President and CEO, to talk about second chances, systemic change, and the leadership lessons hiding inside both of their stories.
Larry and Ken met four years ago and quickly realized they were building toward the same goal from different angles. Together they founded JUMP — a workforce development and entrepreneurship organization for people coming out of incarceration — built around a simple but radical belief: this isn't charity, it's an untapped talent strategy.
What You'll Hear
- Why Larry and Ken built JUMP around sports, entertainment, and corporate partnerships — and how "one plus one can equal three"
- The story behind Larry's hiring at the Portland Trail Blazers, and the moment owner Paul Allen asked one question that changed everything: "How long ago was this?"
- How a Harvard Business School case study on Larry's life flipped a room of 250 executives from 80% "wouldn't hire him" to 70% "would"
- Ken's path from a life sentence to running JUMP — and the mentor who told him "you can teach everything under the sun... but you can't teach drive"
- JUMP's four-part strategy: skill-building through apprenticeships, local coalition-building between CEOs and community organizations, shifting media narrative, and policy reform
- The recidivism data that changes the entire conversation: without intervention, 77% of people return to the system within two to three years — but that number drops to 30% with a marketable skill, 6% with a bachelor's degree, and 0% with a master's degree
- JUMP Cities: how Larry and Ken identified 30 target cities (starting with Charlotte) using a landscape analysis built with Boston Consulting Group
- Why entrepreneurship training matters — and why it has to be real training, not "a $5,000 business plan and don't dream bigger"
- Larry's appointment as co-chair of the Business Roundtable's Second Chance Business Coalition alongside Jamie Dimon
- What "compassionate leadership" looks like when it's not a talking point but an operating system
Memorable Moments
"In this world, talent is distributed equally, but opportunity is not." — Larry Miller
* "We're not asking people to be grateful for a second chance. We're asking employers to recognize they've been overlooking an enormous pool of capable, motivated talent." — Ken Oliver
* "How long ago was this? Don't worry about it."* — Paul Allen, on learning about Larry's record before hiring him
About Our Guests
Ken Oliver
President & CEO, Justice & Upward Mobility Project (JUMP)
Charlotte, NC
Ken Oliver is the President and CEO at JUMP. Before his impressive career at the intersection of law, public policy, and philanthropy, Oliver spent 24 years in prison, including nearly a decade in solitary confinement. He successfully challenged the conditions of his confinement, securing an unprecedented settlement and his freedom through a landmark civil rights lawsuit in partnership with Stanford University and Mayer Brown. Oliver and his team are bringing together business leaders, policymakers, culture changers, and communities to drive sweeping, lasting change that gives people well-deserved second chances. A cornerstone of that work is confronting the very real problem of stigma and shifting narratives around people with records. April is now designated as Fair Chance Month, a recognition of those who face and overcome many of the challenges associated with arrest records in the United States.
Larry Miller
Founder, Justice & Upward Mobility Project (JUMP)
Chicago, IL
Larry Miller is the Founder of the Justice & Upward Mobility Project (JUMP), a national movement harnessing cultural influence to unlock education, employment, and economic mobility for youth and adults impacted by the justice system. He is also the current Chairman of the Jordan Brand Advisory Board, a division of Nike Inc. He has garnered international respect for his reputation as an inspirational leader who understands how to build innovative, cultural, and premium businesses in the world of sport and lifestyle, establishing the standard for athletic luxury footwear and apparel. His memoir, JUMP, co-authored with his daughter Laila Lacy, shares the organization's name and tells the story of his journey from the streets of Philadelphia to prison and ultimately to leadership at Nike and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Learn More
- JUMP: jumpproject.org
- Larry's memoir: JUMP, co-authored with Laila Lacy
- Second Chance Business Coalition: secondchancebusinesscoalition.org
Sarah Feeley and Laurel Donnellan host Dr. Kelly Monahan and KeyAnna Schmiedl for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, leadership, and the future of work. Laurel opens by tracing how dramatically career patterns have shifted across generations — from one job for a lifetime to a future where Generation Beta may hold 20-30 jobs across 7-10 career chapters — and frames CLC’s evolving focus on helping people find not just "lovable work" but "lovable transitions."
Monahan and Schmiedl agree that organizations remain structurally mismatched to this reality: businesses are wired for quarterly shareholder returns while treating people as a cost rather than the asset that creates value. Both push back on the dominant AI narrative, arguing that headlines about job cuts have created a self-fulfilling prophecy and that the real story is an economic one — inflation, market pressure, and years of disruption — for which AI has become a convenient scapegoat.
On leadership, Schmiedl argues that leaders need to "show up more human," trading the myth of having all the answers for authenticity, humility, and a willingness to crowdsource genius from the people closest to the work. Monahan adds three leadership shifts she sees as separating the leaders who get this right: suspending self-interest, getting curious, and sharing power rather than concentrating it.
Monahan offers a practical, three-part checklist for evaluating any AI use case: does it help you work faster, does it improve the quality of the output, and — most importantly — does it free you up to spend more time connecting with other humans in the physical world. Both guests caution against outsourcing critical thinking to AI and stress the importance of remaining "in the driver’s seat" of one’s own cognition.
The conversation closes with reflections on agency, the value of trades and caregiving work alongside knowledge work, and each guest’s life and leadership lessons — Monahan on staying in your lane and "sane leadership," and Schmiedl on the idea that the people we struggle most to understand often have the most to teach us.
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, hosts Sarah Feely and Chelsea Stoll speak with Leigh Feldman, CEO of Youth Franchise Brands, the company behind Young Chefs Academy and Flour Power Cooking Studios. Leigh shares how these youth cooking franchises turn kitchens into classrooms for life skills, confidence, and community—while also creating meaningful opportunities for purpose-driven entrepreneurs.
Listeners learn how Young Chefs Academy’s membership model and belt-style progression system help kids grow from beginner cooks to “black jacket” executive-level young chefs, and how Flour Power’s camps and workshops invite families and adults into the fun. Leigh explains how cooking becomes a kind of “sport” for creative kids, blending STEM/STEAM learning, teamwork, and leadership in an environment that feels playful rather than academic.
The conversation also spotlights a new partnership with the National Mango Board, bringing mango-focused recipes and nutrition education to 53 locations in 31 states. Children discover how to pick, cut, and cook with mangoes while exploring global flavors and healthy eating habits.
Throughout, Leigh reflects on his winding path through teaching, franchising, and entrepreneurship, and what it means to “do good while doing well” as a compassionate leader serving children, families, and local business owners.
https://youngchefsacademy.com/
https://www.mango.org/
What we Discuss;
The Shipyard & Engineering Brand Love Rick introduces The Shipyard — a leading independent agency working across advertising, PR, and digital — and unpacks their guiding theme: engineering brand love. He makes the case that technology should serve feeling, not replace it, and that the most enduring brands are "designed with feelings and fueled by feelings."
The Mental Health Mission — Mission SOAR After his business partner lost a 17-year-old son to suicide, Rick and his team committed the agency's creative resources to mental health advocacy. That mission led to a landmark partnership with Ohio State University on Mission SOAR (State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience) — a longitudinal study following thousands of families, modeled on the famous Framingham Heart Study. Rick explains why this kind of long-term research is the key to unlocking insurance coverage and better outcomes for mental health treatment.
Building a Safe Culture Inside the Agency Rick describes how The Shipyard created a workplace where employees can openly discuss mental health challenges — and why this has become the company's single highest non-financial retention driver. He's candid about the particular mental health pressures of creative work, where "it's personal by definition."
The Leadership Transformation Once "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" in his 30s and 40s, Rick reflects on what changed him — starting at home, not in the boardroom. He shares a counterintuitive truth: leaning into vulnerability and human-centered leadership didn't slow his business down. It accelerated growth, improved client relationships, and deepened everything at home too.
AI, Advertising & the Future of Creativity Rick pushes back on doom narratives about AI's impact on advertising. The industry itself is growing — AI platforms will be ad-supported just like Google and social media. His take: you won't be replaced by AI; you'll be replaced by someone who knows how to use it. And he's optimistic that the current wave of technological expansion will ultimately fuel a new era of creativity, not suppress it.
Truth-Telling as Leadership Practice Rick's parting wisdom is simple and direct: tell the truth. Not as a platitude, but as a daily discipline — in business, in relationships, with yourself. Rumor and spin, he argues, are always more damaging than an honest conversation.
What if faith isn't a four-letter word — but a five-letter superpower?
In this episode, Laurel Donnellan and Darryl Brown sit down with interviewer Sarah Feely to explore Principle #2 of the Donnellan Method: Faith — and its corresponding practice: Connect to Inspiration. Whether you approach faith through a spiritual lens, a religious tradition, or simply a deep belief in something good and positive beyond yourself, this conversation meets you exactly where you are.
Laurel reflects on the lives of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan — two women who, through extraordinary hardship and an unshakeable sense of calling, transformed the landscape of education and human possibility. Darryl shares his ongoing relationship with Father Joe Tetlow, a 95-year-old Jesuit priest and rock star in his community, whose embodiment of faith, discernment, and love has shaped Darryl's own understanding of discipline, freedom, and what it means to be "right-sized."
Together, the three explore the role of solitude, discipline, and practice in building resilience — and why preventative healing matters long before a crisis arrives. You'll hear a beautiful conversation about the paradox of freedom and discipline, what it means to hold hope as both a noun and a verb, and why compassion is always an act, not just a feeling.
This episode is part of a series that guides leaders through history, healing, and hope as they navigate change and growth. Come for the wisdom; stay for the warmth.
You'll walk away with:
- A framework for identifying your personal "positive point of view" — and the practice that strengthens it
- A fresh understanding of why faith comes second in the 12-principle Donnellan Method
- Practical insight into building your margin — the resilient space between your load and your limit
- Inspiration from two leaders who have combined decades of recovery, executive leadership, and spiritual curiosity into a life of purposeful impact
I met Penelope Barton and Brittanie Bates the way you meet the most interesting people: in a coffee line. It was South by Southwest EDU (SXSWEDU), and within minutes, I knew these weren't typical school administrators. They were builders — the kind of quietly revolutionary leaders who don't wait for the system to change but build something new alongside it.
Barton is the CEO of Crimson Global Academy (CGA), and Bates is its Senior Vice President. CGA is a fully online, international high school serving nearly 3,000 students from 72 countries — and it's growing fast. But here's what makes it worth your attention: it's not an "online school" in the way that phrase tends to make parents nervously clear their throats. It's something genuinely new.
Join us for this insightful conversation about the future of education.
Scott Schnell, Cofounder and CEO, built MedZed by reaching the people healthcare can’t — and staying long enough to change outcomes. He leads a team of compassionate, hardworking caregivers who help our country’s most vulnerable Medicaid patients.
Here is a number that should stop you: insurance companies routinely classify between 15% and 20% of their most vulnerable Medicaid members as “unable to contact.” Most outreach organizations call, get no answer, while MedZed goes into the community and finds them wherever they are.
By combining boots-on-the-ground community outreach with digital support and phone contact, MedZed finds upwards of 40% of member referrals that other organizations never reach.
Schnell views the people MedZed serves through the metaphor embedded in the name of its technology platform, Tapestry. Each of us, he explains, has a rich, dense, multicolored weave — our lives, relationships, and resources. We help people with lives that have become worn tapestries. There are frays, gaps, and the colors have faded, and we seek to bring a little more color to their lives,” he said.
Join Sarah Feely, CLC's Chief Learning Officer, as she launches a new series to help listeners dive deeper and emerge stronger, more compassionate leaders. She interviews CLC's podcast hosts through a personal journey of history, healing, and hope that will inspire you to be braver and encourage others to do the same.
Let's talk about faith at work. Join Sarah Feely and Laurel Donnellan as they interview Denis Ring about food, kindness, and leadership. Denis's story includes membership in the Jesuit Order, a business career as a leader at Whole Foods, and the CEO of Ocho Chocolate. He offers practical advice for anyone wanting to lead with love and integrate their values into leadership.
Join me for a fascinating conversation with my friend Katie Read. She became a therapist back before it was cool, and now she is an AI entrepreneur. Her obsession with human psychology evolved into a fascination with buyer behavior and marketing psych, leading her to create an online program that hit seven figures in its first year. When AI showed up, Katie had one of those movie-epiphany moments—and immediately saw it for what it could be, a tool to help humans be better humans. Learn about the greatest buyer-behavior simulation tool the business world has ever seen and how to apply her lessons to your business.
In this special episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle podcast, we’re sharing the recording of our inaugural Lead with Love Summitwhere we have a conversation about what leadership requires right now.
Founder Laurel Donnellan, Chief Learning Officer Sarah Feely, and Chief Compassion Officer Chelsea Stoll explore why compassion is an important leadership strategy. You’ll hear the research behind why kind leaders outperform, the science of hope as a practical framework for change, and the difference between empathy (which exhausts leaders) and compassion (which moves people to action).
The team also introduces the 7 C’s of Compassionate Leadership, sharing real-world stories of leaders who improve workplaces and communities through everyday acts of courage, curiosity, collaboration, and care. If leadership has felt heavy lately, this conversation will ground you and give you something concrete to practice immediately.
In this powerful episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, host Laurel Donnellan sits down with Francesca Reicherter, founder of Inspiring My Generation, to explore what truly helps when someone is in suicidal pain and what compassionate care looks like when the stakes are life and death.
Francesca shares, with honesty and courage, what she needed from the people around her when she was attempting suicide: kindness, presence, and words for what she was experiencing. She reflects on what it’s like to suffer without the language to ask for help and how that absence can deepen isolation.
Today, Francesca is building the very support she once needed, creating tools, programs, and conversations that equip others to show up when it matters most.
Guest host Meryl Eriksen, Tom Colicchio, and Laurel have a candid conversation about politics and how to address hunger through advocacy. Tom Colicchio is best known for his restaurant group, Crafted Hospitality, and for being a pioneer in food entertainment, first as the head judge on Top Chef. He is one of the country’s leading voices on food policy and hunger advocacy. He co-founded Food Policy Action, a nonprofit focused on strengthening national food legislation, and served as an executive producer of A Place at the Table, a documentary examining food insecurity in America. Since the current administration has cut food subsidies, the gains to end hunger in the US have been lost. In 2023, 13.5% of households experienced food insecurity, and that statistic soared to 36% this year. Listen and learn about how hunger impacts all of us and what we can all do to move this trend back in the right direction.
We know plenty of stories related to how people find their romantic partner, but how do you find your perfect business partner?
Find out in this episode as we chat with Paul Lanzarotti and Gabriel Sauma. Seven years ago, Paul founded a unique consumer goods company, Floor-Fix Pro, launched after solving a problem he needed to fix in his own home. His young daughter Sienna was a baby at the time, and his new floors squeaked, waking her.
His lines of sustainable DIY products have become a global brand, and about a year ago, he realized he needed a partner with a financial background to help him grow and organize the business. Ironically, his young daughter helped with this problem as well.
Her friend's father, Gabriel Sauma, recently left his banking job to join Paul on this entrepreneurial journey. Learn tips on how to find your way to soul work and perhaps your next business partner from this unlikely story.
Over the last two decades, a multitude of scientific studies by leading researchers have empirically demonstrated what we intuitively knew to be true: The benefits of prosocial behaviors and motivations in the workplace are vast and undeniable, including significant improvements in employee well-being, innovation capability, employee retention, and overall business performance. I had the great honor of interviewing one of these researchers and her colleague last week.
Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D, is the science director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, where she leads major research initiatives and co-teaches the “Science of Happiness” course, which is the world’s largest course of its kind. A UC Berkeley–trained neuroscientist, she studies how prosocial states such as compassion, gratitude, and awe support health and well-being in life and at work.
Her colleague, Kia Afcari, is the Director of Greater Good Workplaces at GGSC with over 20 years of experience helping leaders, teams, and organizations create collaborative, prosocial change across sectors. His innovative methods, coaching and facilitation credentials, TEDx talk, and award-winning culture-change work reflect his commitment to translating the science of prosociality into lasting organizational impact.
Compassionate leadership is both ethical and effective, and if you want to explore more resources related to Why Kind Leaders Win, subscribe to the Greater Good Magazine.
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, Founder & CEO Laurel Donnellan reconnects with her dear friend and colleague Gunjan Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Learn With Leaders.
Gunjan shares her extraordinary journey from investment banking to becoming a global education innovator. She reflects on how her passion for democratizing Ivy League–level education led to creating Learn With Leaders, which now reaches students across 80 countries with transformative leadership and learning programs.
Together, Laurel and Gunjan explore stories of students who found their voices and launched impactful projects, the growing trend of teenagers aspiring to be global citizens, and how safe, judgment-free learning spaces change lives. They also discuss the role of AI in education—from personalized learning plans to empowering the next generation of problem solvers, creators, and leaders.
Gunjan leaves listeners with powerful lessons on gratitude, letting go of the past, and the importance of listening as a leader.
Tune in for a heart-filled conversation on why education must evolve to unlock joy, creativity, and purpose in the next generation. Learn more about Learn With Leaders: https://www.learnwithleaders.com
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, Founder & CEO Laurel Donnellan sits down with two of CLC’s core leaders: Chief Learning Officer Sarah Feely and Chief Compassion Officer Meryl Eriksen.
Together, they share their personal journeys—from hospitality and executive recruiting to purpose-driven leadership—and how their pivots shaped the work they do today. You’ll hear how Sarah and Meryl guide clients through programs like Purpose Lab, foster confidence and agency in women leaders, and help organizations build more connected, compassionate cultures.
The conversation also dives into their upcoming projects, including a fresh approach to emotional intelligence and the launch of “Compassionate Conversations.” Along the way, Sarah and Meryl offer candid life lessons about aligning achievement with purpose, leading as a coach, and finding joy in growth—whether in your career or your garden.
Tune in to be inspired by two leaders who embody what it means to lead with empathy, courage, and heart. Learn more at: https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com
In this special episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we bring you inside the 5th annual Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards ceremony, hosted by Founder & CEO Laurel Donnellan and Chief Compassion Officer Meryl Eriksen. This year’s theme was Kindness, and honorees from diverse organizations shared how one small act can spark big changes at work.
You’ll hear how nominees practice compassionate leadership to build positive workplaces, what helps them stay kind even under stress, and why kindness is more than just a value — it’s a catalyst for resilience, agency, and effectiveness across teams. Tune in for inspiration from leaders who are proving that kindness at work is both powerful and practical.
Learn more about the CLC Awards: https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com/clc_awards
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we continue our annual tradition of partnering with Dr. David Corsun, Director of the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver, and his students Arianna Rojas-Ortega, Copey Fuller, Maite Montes Gonzalez, and Stephanie Vancleve.
Together, they share how Fritz Knoebel stands apart from other hospitality schools — emphasizing not just business acumen, but also compassion, purpose, and people-centered leadership.
The conversation dives into how students learn the whole HR process, from recruiting and hiring to onboarding staff, and how these experiences prepare them to lead with kindness and effectiveness in the hospitality industry. You’ll hear firsthand how future leaders are blending practical skills with values-driven leadership to create workplaces where people can thrive.
Learn more about Compassionate Leaders Circle — an organization dedicated to guiding leaders and organizations to build more compassionate workplaces and communities — at https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com/
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we feature Audree Grubesic, an ambassador for offsite construction and a 2024 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards honoree. As a trailblazer in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Audree opens up about the pressures women face to adopt masculine energy to succeed — and the burnout that often follows.
She also takes us inside the world of modular homebuilding, where factory-built homes can be assembled onsite in under 30 days, dramatically increasing access and efficiency. Audree shares how her team is embracing artificial intelligence to streamline workflows, reduce errors, and drive innovation across every phase of construction.
Tune in for a powerful conversation on reimagining leadership, reshaping the building industry, and creating more sustainable ways to live and work.
Learn more about the CLC Awards: https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com/clc_awards
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we speak with Emily Cordes, Lead Physician at Root, Inc. and a 2024 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards honoree. With a bold vision for the future of healthcare, Emily is challenging the conventional “pill for the ill” mindset and advocating for a more holistic, sustainable approach to well-being.
Emily shares how she helps individuals build long-term health systems that work in the context of real life — not just ideal conditions — and why personalization, practicality, and prevention must be central to modern healthcare. She also offers insights into the true potential of wearables like smartwatches and health monitors: tools for awareness and accountability, not anxiety.
Tune in for a refreshing and actionable take on how to reclaim agency over your health, one habit at a time.
Learn more about the CLC Awards: https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com/clc_awards
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we’re joined by Laina Greene, CEO of Angels of Impact and a 2024 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards honoree. A passionate advocate for women entrepreneurs and impact-led businesses, Laina is reshaping how funding works — and who gets access to it.
She shares why women often face more barriers when raising capital, and how Angels of Impact steps in not just with funding, but with partnership — helping organizations build strong financial systems and plan for long-term success.
Tune in to hear how Laina is transforming investing from transactional to relational, helping underrepresented founders access the resources they deserve, and proving that when you invest in women, you invest in lasting impact.
Learn more about the CLC Awards: https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com/clc_awards
Join us for an important episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast featuring Jyl Feliciano, Vice-President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at Highspot and a 2024 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards honoree. With extensive experience in shaping inclusive cultures, Jyl candidly addresses the misconceptions surrounding DEI and emphasizes the necessity of working with organizations genuinely committed to ethical action. Discover why she believes inclusion is fundamental to workplace belonging and how embedding DEI principles into operational models creates lasting, impactful change. Jyl also shares innovative approaches to reteaching DEI through storytelling and explores the potential of artificial intelligence to accelerate cultural transformation. Tune in to gain actionable insights on fostering genuine inclusion, combating misinformation, and building organizations that authentically embody diversity, equity, and belonging.
Learn more about the CLC Awards: https://www.compassionateleaderscircle.com/clc_awards
Join us for this inspiring episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast featuring Geoffrey Roche, a 2024 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards honoree and proud son of a nurse. Geoffrey once planned a career in politics on Capitol Hill but found his true calling in healthcare, where he leads with compassion and dedication. In this candid discussion, Geoffrey shares how his mother’s influence shaped his commitment to serving others and how mentorship has been a pivotal force in his personal and professional life—benefiting both mentors and mentees alike. He also reveals why self-care is the cornerstone of effective time management and sustainable leadership. Don’t miss this chance to learn from Geoffrey’s journey, gain insights into the future of healthcare and workforce transformation, and get a sneak peek at the upcoming 2025 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards. Tune in and discover how empathy, purpose, and community can drive lasting change.
In this special Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast episode, Laurel Donnellan speaks with 2024 Compassionate Leader Circle Awards honorees Comfort Dondo and Asia A. Pope.
Comfort Dondo narrates her impactful journey from overcoming domestic violence in Zimbabwe to establishing Phumulani in Minnesota—a beacon for culturally tailored support for survivors of gender-based abuse. Her initiative ensures that women and children of African descent find a space that resonates with their cultural and safety needs.
Asia A. Pope, the Inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at The Buckeye Ranch, discusses her pivotal role in nurturing an inclusive organizational environment. Asia’s extensive DEI expertise is reflected in her leadership over innovative projects like "Diversity Field Trips," designed to foster a new level of empathy and engagement among team members. Her strategies for keeping the workplace connected and engaged are essential listening for anyone looking to enhance team dynamics and inclusivity.
This episode explores the vital themes of empathy and inclusivity, illustrating how deep connections and understanding can bridge societal gaps. Join us to hear how these honored leaders craft pathways toward a more inclusive and empathetic society.
In this compelling episode of The Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we delve into the transformative journeys of Ish Orkar and Devon Henry, two leaders who are reshaping the landscapes of equity and social justice. Ish Orkar, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at the ACLU, draws from her rich background in law, social work, and nonprofit leadership to champion inclusive environments and advocate for restorative practices in workplaces and communities. Raised under a dictatorship, Ish brings a unique perspective on fostering understanding and compassion in challenging settings.
Joining her is Devon Henry, a seasoned entrepreneur and CEO of Team Henry Enterprises. Known for his role in the removal of over two dozen Confederate statues across the Southeastern U.S., Devon is at the forefront of building new memorials that honor the previously unrecognized. His work extends into repurposing history through innovative projects like CryptoFederacy.com, which merges social activism with Web3 technology to support underserved communities.
Together, they explore what it means to choose love amidst widespread hate, how to engage compassionately with differing viewpoints, and the common misunderstandings surrounding DEI initiatives. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on leading through uncertainty and turning compassionate leadership into actionable change.
In this enlightening episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, we delve into the impactful work of MedZed, a pioneering organization transforming healthcare for the Medicaid population. With a staggering 3-5% of this group accounting for up to half of all medical expenditures, MedZed's mission is crucial: "To inspire and enable better health." Join us as we explore how their hands-on approach reconnects individuals to primary care, fostering long-term self-reliance. We'll also hear from the dedicated Community Health Navigators, who are key to MedZed’s success across Washington State, California, New Jersey, and Maryland. Their multilingual capabilities ensure they reach deep into the communities they serve, making healthcare accessible and personalized. Tune in to discover how MedZed makes a profound difference by ensuring the most vulnerable are not left behind.
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, Laurel Donnellan sits down with Paul Angles, founder of Angles Inc., to uncover the secrets behind his expertise in leveraging LinkedIn for individuals and organizations. Paul shares how he helps companies connect with their most strategic partners, build impactful networks, and unlock the platform’s full potential.
Paul discusses his work with graduate programs at universities, empowering students and professionals to use LinkedIn as a powerful tool for growth and opportunity. He also dives into the importance of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards and their role in fostering meaningful connections between people and organizations.
Curious about what’s next for LinkedIn? Paul provides insights into potential trends and innovations coming to the platform. Plus, he shares his best tips for making LinkedIn work for you—whether you’re looking to grow your career, expand your network, or find strategic opportunities.
If you’ve ever wondered why LinkedIn matters or how to make it work for you, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice.
In this insightful episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, Laurel Donnellan sits down with Gar Grannell, CEO of Mohawk Global and a 2024 CLC Awards honoree, along with Rachael Marwood, Mohawk’s Director of Marketing. Together, they share how Mohawk Global has become a model of compassionate leadership, prioritizing the well-being of both employees and clients alike.
Gar and Rachael discuss Mohawk’s unique no-layoff policy and their commitment to a workplace culture where employees feel valued and secure. They also highlight Mohawk’s gardening program, a community-focused initiative that strengthens bonds within local neighborhoods and brings the team together in meaningful ways. Their dedication to cultivating trust, growth, and compassion within their organization exemplifies the core values of the Compassionate Leaders Circle.
Tune in to hear Gar and Rachael’s inspiring perspectives on building a workplace where people thrive, customers are prioritized, and communities are uplifted. This episode is a true testament to the power of purpose-driven leadership.
In this reflective and heartwarming episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, co-host Laurel sits down with Darryl to discuss his journey into what he calls "retirement"—a life chapter full of purpose, connection, and legacy-building.
Darryl shares the transition from a demanding corporate career to prioritizing his most important role yet: raising his two remarkable sons. With a unique perspective as a black man coming of age in the 1960s, he contrasts his experiences with those of young black men growing up today, discussing both the potential and pitfalls of the internet and influencer culture.
Darryl also reflects on the honor of serving on the board of his alma mater, Fordham University. He shares his insights on the advancements in diversity, equity, and particularly inclusion, and the ways his involvement continues to shape the campus community.
As he looks forward to a new rhythm of life, Darryl expresses his excitement about spending more quality time with family and friends, staying connected to the values that have guided him. Join us for an inspiring conversation that redefines retirement, celebrates family, and highlights the impact of compassionate leadership across generations.
Darryl Brown interviews Laurel Donnellan in a deeply personal and reflective conversation in Laurel's powerful conclusion to the "Meet the Co-Hosts" series on the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast. Laurel opens up about her father’s declining health and the emotional complexity of anticipating grief while continuing to build a life of purpose. She shares how the profound experiences of love, loss, and reflection fueled her passion for creating Compassionate Leaders Circle, an organization that has become her life's work.
Laurel delves into the people who inspired the birth of Compassionate Leaders Circle and discusses the incredible gift of running her own company. As the founder and CEO, she has fostered compassionate leadership in organizations worldwide, all while staying true to her values. This episode is a touching exploration of the intersection of personal and professional growth, the resilience needed to lead through difficult times, and the inspiration that comes from turning pain into purpose.
Tune in for an emotional and inspiring episode that offers a window into Laurel's heart. Laurel’s story is a testament to the strength we find in embracing life's challenges and the incredible power of leading with compassion.
Laurel's father, Gene Donnellan, passed away two days after this was recorded. This episode is dedicated to him.
In this captivating episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, co-host and founder Laurel Donnellan sits down with Darryl Brown to explore the remarkable journey that took him from an aspiring basketball player to an influential media professional.
Darryl shares his unforgettable experience trying out for the Boston Celtics, a dream moment that showcased his dedication and passion for the sport. When the path led him overseas, he embraced the adventure of playing basketball in Europe, including stints in Italy and Sweden, broadening his horizons both on and off the court.
Returning to academia, Darryl pursued a graduate degree in Communications at Fordham University. His first job out of grad school found him at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a humble beginning that paved the way for greater opportunities. Thanks to a connection with a Fordham alumnus, Darryl landed a role as Manager of Special Projects at ABC. It was here that he got his big break interviewing the Bee Gees, marking the start of an exciting career in broadcasting.
Recognizing a gap in the market, Darryl was instrumental in bringing programming catered to Black and Latino listeners to ABC in the 1980s. His innovative approach not only diversified the content but also proved commercially successful. He wisely notes, “Once I showed them where the green was, there was no black or white.”
Throughout his journey, Darryl acknowledges the incredible women he hired to be part of his team, emphasizing that he couldn't have accomplished his achievements without their talent and support.
Join us for an inspiring conversation highlighting perseverance, innovation, and the power of inclusive leadership. Darryl’s story is a testament to the impact one can make by staying true to one’s values and uplifting others along the way.
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast, co-host Darryl Brown sits down with other co-host Laurel Donnellan to uncover other chapters of her life that have shaped her into the leader she is today. From her high school days of bringing people together to her transformative years at Cornell University, Laurel shares how she thrived in a global culture different from her small-town roots in Upstate New York. She discusses the lasting bonds she formed during her college years and how these relationships continue to influence her life and work.
Laurel also opens up about her professional journey, highlighting her impactful work at Medallion Hospitality, where she honed her skills and commitment to excellence. A significant part of the conversation is dedicated to her personal struggles, leading up to a pivotal moment at 31 when she embraced sobriety. This beautiful wake-up call marked a turning point, inspiring her to lead with even greater empathy and resilience.
This episode delves into the themes of strong relationships, inspirational leadership, and the courage to face mental health struggles head-on. Join us as Laurel shares her journey of overcoming challenges and embracing a path of sobriety that has profoundly shaped her compassionate approach to leadership.
Welcome back to the Compassionate Leaders Circle Podcast! In this heartwarming and insightful episode, I, Laurel Donnellan, have the pleasure of interviewing my co-host, Darryl Brown, as we continue our "Meet the Co-Hosts" series. This time, we delve into Darryl’s transformative college years at Fordham University in New York City.
Following up on his earlier reflections about childhood, Darryl highlights the importance of friendship during his formative years and how these bonds continued to shape his college experience. At Fordham, Darryl was recruited to play basketball, a journey that honed his skills on the court and developed his leadership abilities. He shares the excitement and challenges of playing at a collegiate level and how these experiences contributed to his growth as a compassionate leader.
In this episode, Darryl also opens up about falling in love during his college years, sharing the joy and profound impact of this relationship on his life. He reminisces about the thrill of discovering his passion for journalism, a field that allowed him to combine his love for storytelling with his desire to make a difference.
Darryl’s appreciation for receiving a Jesuit education is evident as he reflects on the values and principles that Fordham instilled in him. He talks about how the Jesuit emphasis on self reflection, service, and holistic education deeply influenced his personal and professional life.
Join us for a cozy, intimate conversation as Darryl takes us through his college days, filled with friendship, love, passion, and growth. His journey is a testament to the power of education, the importance of community, and the enduring impact of compassionate leadership.
Tune in to this episode for a warm and inspiring look at how Darryl’s college experiences shaped the leader he is today. Listen now and be inspired.
Join us for a heartfelt journey into Laurel's life as she shares pivotal moments that shaped her into the compassionate leader she is today. In this special series, the podcast delves into personal narratives that illuminate the essence of leadership through compassion.
In this first chapter, Laurel unfolds her path, beginning with the transformative inspiration that led her to Cornell University's School of Hospitality. She reflects on how this experience sparked her passion for nurturing others and fostering inclusive environments. However, life's journey also brought profound challenges. Laurel bravely navigates through moments of deep grief and loss, revealing how these hardships sculpted her empathy and resilience.
Through intimate storytelling, Laurel invites listeners into her world, where warmth and inspiration abound. Her tale embodies the podcast's ethos of compassionate leadership, illustrating how personal growth and understanding can shape impactful leadership. Tune in to the podcast as Laurel's narrative unfolds, offering insights and encouragement for leaders and listeners alike.
CLC Podcast is kicking off a series where we dive deep into our lives, sharing the pivotal moments that have molded our paths. I’m your host, Laurel Donnellan, joined by my co-host, Darryl Brown.
In today’s heartfelt and inspiring episode, I sit down with Darryl as he opens up about his childhood in a predominantly black neighborhood in a predominantly white town just outside of NYC. Darryl’s story is one of resilience, community, and the powerful influence of family. From the earliest memories to the challenges and triumphs of his formative years, Darryl reflects on the experiences that have shaped his compassionate leadership style.
Growing up, Darryl found strength in the close-knit bonds of his community. He shares poignant memories of family gatherings, neighborhood events, and the unwavering support of those around him. These moments, filled with love and solidarity, laid the foundation for his deep sense of empathy and commitment to others.
Despite facing hardships and navigating the complexities of a divided town, Darryl’s spirit remained unbroken. He recounts the lessons learned from overcoming adversity and the determination it instilled in him to rise above challenges. Through it all, Darryl discovered the joy of new and exciting experiences, from becoming a widely recognized athlete to embracing opportunities that broadened his horizons.
Join us as we journey through Darryl’s early years, uncovering the profound impact of his upbringing on his leadership philosophy. This episode is a testament to the power of community, the importance of family, and the resilience that defines compassionate leaders. Tune in for a warm, intimate conversation that will inspire and uplift, reminding us all of the enduring power of compassion.
This is our fourth Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards Ceremony. The CLC Awards celebrate the brightest and boldest in their respective fields. Our Honorees acknowledge our universal interconnectedness and use their influence to make a positive impact on people and the planet. These leaders are courageous, contemplative, collaborative, and care about the world they will leave behind. The honorees this year are:
- Gar Grannell, CEO, Mohawk Global
- Comfort Dondo, Founder, Phumulani Minnesota, African Women Against Violence
- Laina Raveendran Greene, CEO, Angels of Impact
- Ish Orkar, Deputy Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, ACLU (find out more here)
- Jyl Feliciano, Global Vice President of DEI&B, Highspot
- Devon Henry, CEO & President, Team Henry Enterprises
- Geoffrey M. Roche, Director of Workforce Development (North America), Siemens Healthineers
- Audree Grubesic, Founder, Offsite Dirt Media
- Asia Pope, Director of DEI, The Buckeye Ranch
Listen to this episode to learn more about our amazing honorees!
This awards ceremony is sponsored by Angles, Inc, who do incredible work in content marketing.
In this episode, we interview Riley McCormack, President and CEO of Digimarc. Digimarc is leading the charge in digital watermarking and cloud-based product data. Part of what drives this incredible company is its incredible culture.
When it started out, Digimarc had over 50 to 60 corporate values. Riley found this to be hectic and unrealistic, so he leveraged his employees to help him narrow it down into three: collaborative, curious, and courageous. Collaborative—the company works well together and with all of its stakeholders. Curious—everyone asks the question “why?” at least a couple of times a day. Courageous—take responsibility to deliver what the company says it’s going to deliver.
To help guide the company’s employees as they embody these values, Riley has four principles:
- Give employees cool things to do
- Give employees the knowledge that they’re applying that technology to change the world
- Surround employees with good, smart human beings
- Recognize that employees are human
Learn more about Riley and Digimarc by listening to the full episode.
In this podcast, I explore the power of forgiveness with my dear friend Mark Anthony Lord. Mark’s passion for spiritual awakening led him to ordination as a Minister and has founded two successful spiritual communities. The Bodhi Spiritual Center in Chicago grew from a handful of members to thousands under his leadership, and Living The Course, a virtual, global A Course In Miracles community that he transformed into a 7-figure business in under three years. What Mark and I discovered through this conversation is that forgiveness is critical for a leader to be compassionate. “The leader always has the potential to change the game and change the story,” says Mark. Listen to learn more about how leaders find and practice forgiveness.
In this emotional podcast, our host Laurel speaks with Marina Aksyonova and Andrii Bezverkhyi of SOC Prime, an American enterprise cybersecurity company with Ukrainian roots founded in 2015. The company builds technology to support collective cyber defense. With about half of the company still based in Ukraine, Marina speaks to the company’s great ambition and values-based culture of strength during Ukraine’s difficult times. The company has grown immensely in the last five years. They work with an incredible amount of transparency to prioritize trust in their client relationships. SOC Prime only hires individuals whose values match the company’s values. We have a lot to learn about the power of compassion and curiosity from this incredible company.
KeyAnna Schmiedl has been asking the tough, uncomfortable questions all her life. Her interest in organizational behavior and organizational psychology started in college, where she was encouraged to ask those questions. Today, she advocates for one’s work experience to be inseparable from one’s life experience. She also stresses the importance of recognizing intersectionality in the workplace to drive the business forward. Her work as the Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman is a huge part of putting her personal and professional philosophies into practice. Learn more about her story and work in this episode.
Some key takeaways from this episode:
-“Faith for me is knowing that I’m doing my part,” says Darryl Brown. It’s a way to live in hope and not fear. It means downsizing your ego.
-There is evil everywhere. It’s better to focus on what you can do in your community than to try and act on things out of your control.
-Reading and reaching out in the morning is essential.
-You can’t stop with gratitude. You have to love what you do. Finding that love, not just gratitude, means taking action.
In this special episode, our co-host Darryl Brown interviews our other co-host Laurel Donnellan about the Donnellan Method. The two co-hosts take a trip down memory lane as Laurel talks about how she came up with the Method and the importance of taking compassionate, intentional action.
Lindsay Junk went from being kicked out of her first yoga class to President at YogaSix, a nationwide yoga studio featuring a range of practices.
YogaSix is unique in that the company offers yoga in places where inhabitants may not fit the stereotypical “yoga types.” This allows them to help yoga reach as many people as possible in an accessible way.
Lindsay speaks on her time with YogaSix as part of a long career with different leadership positions.
Listen to learn more about her keys to being a successful leader and this amazing company!
Three students, Aansha Sankla, Jessica Bryan, and Haena Kim join their professor Dr. David Corsun from the University of Denver to talk about their experience being a part of the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality, their time attending the 2023 Fritz Leadership Symposium with Compassionate Leaders Circle, and the future of hospitality.
This episode features an important discussion about mental health in the workplace.
Amy Gilliland started a program called “How are you, really?” to address the mental health issues of the employees at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Gilliland works tirelessly to ensure leadership learns to become comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. She also works to provide employees with resource groups and benefits to support them in their potential struggles.
Emily Rosado-Solomon, an Assistant Professor at Babson College, conducts research on mental health and examines the best practices surrounding employers supporting employees’ mental health. Rosado-Solomon claims changing the workplace culture and ending the stigma is critical to improving mental health. Rosado-Solomon provides clear and tangible ways that organizations can prioritize mental health.
In this episode, we also talk about the 4-day work week, remote work, and other important topics.
Take a listen to learn more!
Gunjan Aggarwal is the co-founder of Learn With Leaders, an organization that allows high school students to invest in and explore their future careers.
Gunjan and I talk about the purpose of intellectual crushes, what they are, and how they allow us to act on our curiosity and explore our spiritual paths. Gunjan believes wholeheartedly in the power of cold-calling your crushes and putting yourself out there without hesitation. The right intellectual crush leaves your soul with a very happy energy. It will make you a better salesperson, innovator, and change-maker. It will help you take the leap to embrace your fears and move through the world telling your story.
Take a listen to learn more!
Darryl and Laurel dive into a conversation on courage with their captivating personal stories and insights.
Courage requires self leadership and communicating your vision while letting others develop their own dreams.
Courage is personal. Darryl speaks to his college basketball days. Laurel speaks to her experience giving up alcohol while working in the hospitality industry.
Courage requires confidence, which comes from commitment.
Courage means intentional decision-making.
Courage is the #1 ingredient in manifesting your dreams.
Learn about Martha Collard's gong practice which aims to elevate people's energies, helping them search within to find and live out their true calling. Martha is an executive coach, management consultant, and career counselor, and most recently she served as Vice President of Group Organizational Wellness for Lane Crawford Joyce Group.
In today's tumultuous climate, Christian Nunes, the President of the National Organization for Women (NOW), shares her experiences as a mother, mental health advocate, and intersectional feminist.
Formerly the VP of Global Customer Operations turned Head of Mindfulness and Compassion at LinkedIn, Scott Shute is an award-winning author, speaker, entrepreneur, photographer, and healer. Scott's mission is to change work from the inside out by mainstreaming mindfulness and operationalizing compassion. Tune in to our conversation with Scott to learn more about his story and endeavors.
This week, we speak with Wayne Turmel and Kevin Eikenberry about their most recent book, "The Long-Distance Team." In our conversation, these two experts provide evidence-based insights on achieving success and creating a good culture within virtual, hybrid, and even in-person work environments.
We at Compassionate Leaders Circle select six honorees from around the world to join us in a panel discussion on their most exciting work and advice for future compassionate leaders.
This past fall, Compassionate Leaders Circle partnered with Learn With Leaders, a global EdTech organization based in India, to run one of our Dream Labs for teens all around the world. In this podcast, you can hear from Raisa, Zaara, and Natalia on how our lab shaped their visions of their futures.
Every fall, CLC partners with the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business to provide their seniors with a customized Dream Lab retreat. In this podcast, we speak with students Mireille Baxter and Kevin Pereira-Leon about their experiences surrounding last year’s retreat and learn from director David Corsun about the school’s unique opportunities for all of its students.
Kevin Oakes is the co-founder and CEO of Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), a company looking to help other companies and their teams tackle the future of work. Oakes recently published a book titled “Culture Renovation,” in which he dives into “next practices” for corporations looking to improve or build their HR strategies and workplace cultures. Learn more about Oakes and his amazing work through our conversation.
Learn more about the first-ever global competition series and the inspiring stories it aims to tell.
Bernard Chiira, of Innovate Now, and Regina Kline, of Enable Ventures, have been nominated for the 2023 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards as key players within the global rise of disability technology. Learn more about their work and this movement in this episode of our podcast.
When I first met Fernando, he was working on the COVID crisis. Now, he’s working in Ukraine and has been since days after the war broke out. Learn about his journey and his current work in Ukraine, where he is providing essential care.
Every year we honor a select group of individuals who embody compassionate leadership.
In the 2022 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards, we celebrate 8 honorees who represent compassionate leaders everywhere. From a high school student battling malnutrition in India to an entrepreneur developing an animal-free meat industry, these inspiring individuals show it’s possible to Lead with Love.
Hear how these 8 leaders use Civility, Curiosity, Confidence, and other compassionate leadership traits to make a positive impact on people and the planet.
"Profit is just a means to an end." Listen to the CEO and Chief People Officer of a fast-growing logistics company discuss their corporate mission of enriching people's lives. From employees and suppliers to customers and partners, Mohawk Global is focused on helping people thrive. How they do it just happens to involve running a supply chain company.
With staggering employee satisfaction scores, a Great Place to Work employee-driven engagement committee, and a CEO who literally tells employees he loves them, this company has cracked the code on creating lovable work.
Meet Gunjan Aggarwal, a brilliant education disruptor based in India, who we partner with to provide a Compassionate Leadership program for future leaders where they explored their dreams. Learn about our inaugural program that had 39 high school students from 9 countries and hear six final Soul Work presentations from the participants who were chosen by their peers to represent the class: Rhea Chadha, Mohna Chandra, Danica Aurelie Hartawan, Sofia Shcherbakova, Navya Kautish, Amara Oo.
Each fall, we partner with The Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver to provide their seniors with a Pivot with Purpose Career Development Retreat. Here students review the past, explore the present and create a future through a vision pitch project. Meet Dr. David Corsun, the compassionate leader of the school, and hear from three of his seniors who were chosen by their peers to represent the class: Julie Frost, David Reiss, Anthony Sorkin.
Learn how compassionate leaders with a passion for helping people recover from addictions have created a bold new approach. Jeffrey Vann, Gregg Champion, and Patricia Meyers talk about their own business and recovery journeys and how they created Start Up Recovery, where their clients learn how to shift addiction to passion.
Lisa. S Jones is the founder and CEO of EyeMail Inc, a multi-communication platform that was founded out of her love for her mother, who unexpectedly passed away at 61. Join us as Lisa talks about her journey in building the company with her mother’s influence and her dedication to bringing innovation and inclusiveness to the company.
Ashley T Brundage is a pioneer in the world of bringing inclusion to workplaces and the founder of Empowering Differences and the author of the book by the same name. Every day Ashley demonstrates what it means to be a compassionate leader as she bravely shares her own struggles and helps others embrace their differences as strengths, not obstacles. Join us as Ashley shares her inspirational story from homelessness to bank executive and highlights of her new book.
Julienne is a native from Queens, NY, and is the author of “The Learned-it-in-Queens Communications Playbook” inspired by her roots and a passion for authentic conversations. Join us as Julienne gives us the play-by-play on how to communicate effectively to others clearly despite digital distractions.
Brandon Scott Barney is the co-founder of Primary Ocean, a company that cultivates giant kelp, and Julie Allickson, the Chief Manufacturing Development Center Officer at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine whose team is helping critically ill people by creating viable organs for transplants in a laboratory. Tune in to hear how these compassionate leaders found their callings and are now developing cutting-edge innovations that help people and the planet.
Katherine Wells is a client of Compassionate Leaders Circle and a former participant of Pivot with Purpose. Last year, Katherine started her own decor store that featured work from many different artists from Brooklyn and beyond called Cain Sloan. Tune in to hear how she used her love for ceramics and turned it into a new vision for herself.
Jeff Potter is the Founder and CEO of Manifest, a high-end curated personal and professional travel company offering trips to change lives and hearts. Join us to learn more about how he became a CEO and then pivoted his career to help companies develop a more humane approach to growth as they consider people, the planet, and profit.
With his company, Eat Just, Josh Tetrick has changed the way meat and eggs are produced. He and his team make eggs from plants and cultivate meat without killing animals. Tetrick is a calm and intelligent presence that makes his lofty visions feel both accessible and, in many ways, indispensable to the future of our planet. Join us to learn how Tetrick launched his company and how this process has impacted him personally and professionally.
Colin Ambrose is the creative and multi-faceted owner of Estia’s Little Kitchen who actually grew his restaurant's sales during the pandemic. His willingness to pivot included a streamlined menu and hours. Ambrose and his team were able to swiftly churn out enormous family orders to be enjoyed at home. And how did he deal with the stress? He spent his only day off going on an adventure. Join us for a conversation on how he turned a difficult situation into an opportunity.
Paul Lanzarotti and Pavalli Golla are both parents who founded their companies, Stop Creak and Lark Adventurewear, after trying to solve personal problems at home. Join us as these two innovative inventors discuss their journeys where they started as anxious parents.
Dr. Maria Church, Ph.D is an organizational culture expert who shares her simple, powerful, and proven approach to change in her book’s 10th-anniversary edition, "Love-Based Leadership, The Model For Leading with Strength, Grace, and Authenticity." Join us for a conversation on how to build sustainable organizations through compassion.
LaVerne Bowen, Kim Roxie, and Virginia Sharp are all dynamic business owners based in New York, Houston, and Macon, Georgia. LaVerne founded a company that helps teens through afterschool programs, Kim has a beauty company and Virginia owns a boutique. Each has a unique story and perspective on life and entrepreneurship. Listen to their stories and learn about the unique challenges and advantages black women have as they build businesses in this climate of change.
Scott Shute is the Head of Compassion and Mindfulness at Linkedin and recently released a deeply personal leadership book he wrote during the lockdown in 2020 called The Full Body Yes. In this episode, we explore compassionate leadership at LinkedIn and how Scott came to write this book which offers a balance of personal stories, spiritual lessons, and professional tips on how to build a better organization.
Laila Tarraf, the Chief People Officer at Allbirds tells the story of how her new book, "Strong Like Water" came to be a reality. She shares how to lead with love through heartbreaks and successes ultimately (after a lot of work) landing in a place that is honest, integrated, and powerful. Her story is soul food for anyone who believes in the power of love and compassionate leadership.
Hayden and Jake Wadsworth are devoted founders of HydroJug, the water jug that makes hydration more convenient and sustainable. The brothers are modeling compassionate leadership as they work to create more health and well-being for their customers and work culture, providing a positive impact on the planet, supporting charities, and continue to grow so they employ more people. Last year, despite the pandemic creating supply chain challenges, they grew 400%, moving close to 1M products and reaching eight figures in annual sales.
I had the chance to meet Deborah Sass and Thomas Reemer, two entrepreneurs who founded Space Hero. Space Hero will be the world's first global competition to send a civilian into space on a $55M, 10-day trip to the International Space Station. We also discuss their 17-year friendship, their backgrounds, and how this towering concept took a foothold in their lives.
Meet the witty, warm, and fiercely intelligent Father Joseph McShane, current President of The Jesuit College of NYC, Fordham University. My colleague and Fordham alumnus, Darryl Brown, has been singing the praises of this compassionate leader for many years. As a leader and Jesuit priest, Father sees racism as a moral issue "We need to see each other as equals and develop reverence, respect, and affection for people that are different from ourselves. "
I was introduced to Tracy Rosensteel many years ago by my colleague, Paul Lanzarotti, who described her as the most fascinating person he ever met. This reputation is well-deserved, and Tracy and I recently met up to catch up on her ventures. We discussed her TV series, which initially aired on PBS and was just picked up by Amazon, and the deal she recently closed on Shark Tank for a business she launched during the pandemic.
I have had the chance to interview the soulful and jubilant Eduardo Vilaro, CEO and Artistic Director at Ballet Hispánico, twice in 2020. We had the opportunity to chat in March and again in December, bookending a problematic year. And earlier this month, I had the honor to introduce him as a recipient of a Compassionate Leader of the Year Award in the category of arts, entertainment and sports. He has led his organization through the turbulence of 2020 with grace while attributing much of the credit for his abilities to his training as a dancer.
Jeff Wald is an accomplished and compassionate leader on a quest for his next professional vision. For anyone experiencing a career transition, this time in the hallway can be both exciting and challenging. Jeff explained that he is simultaneously grateful and fearful about this opportunity.
Brook Hartnett, the CEO of Allegiance Personal Training, is on a mission to help people over forty get fit that started with helping his mom work out a few years ago. In this episode hear what it was like to open a family business in 2020 and why starting a wellness routine now, is important.
Darryl Brown has always been a leader, first as a high school basketball star, then a professional athlete, and eventually as an executive at ABC Radio Network, now Disney. Currently, he is a diversity advocate and on the Board of Trustees for Fordham University. In this episode, he shares his history that includes having to work at 150% in order to succeed as a black man in the United States. He offers advice on how to have conversations to address racism based on his experience in sports, the corporate world, and academia.
The charming and energetic Jim Szafranski became the CEO of Prezi earlier this year when Péter Árvai, co-founder of Prezi, retired from the position to focus more of his time on activism. Jim is honored to have this new role and said he was surprised when it was offered because he never planned on being a CEO.
Liz Elting, Founder and CEO of the Elizabeth Elting Foundation, is a force. I had the chance to meet with her and my three women business school interns: June Lui, Jessica Flam, and Taylor Theis, recently so we could all benefit from her experience as an entrepreneur, mother, and philanthropist.
One in three Americans' employment has been affected by the pandemic and all of us are questioning our purpose as we face these unsettled times. Stories of professionals who have encountered an unexpected career pivot and landed in a better place can be a great source of inspiration. Recently I met the talented and exuberant Lindsey Decker, founder of DogMa, and learned about her journey from corporate marketing to entrepreneurship.
Meet Duke Mahr, SunnyRose Eaton, Audrey Legate and Eve Anderson, winners of a one-of-a-kind pitch contest. All four are seniors at the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management in the Daniel's College of Business, University of Denver. “Fritz” is the smallest, yet (in my opinion), the mightiest of the top twenty hotel undergraduate programs in the US. Fritz has a social impact approach to hospitality education that is encapsulated in its motto: Be Bold. Do Good. Change Lives. The school is an incubator for compassionate leaders.
Darrell Jones is a minister, coach, teacher and the General Manager of Chill, a Chicago-based wellness company providing online meditation classes, workshops, and training for individuals and companies. I was fortunate to share an enlightening and hopeful hour with him. We discussed how to take better care of ourselves and our world in these unsettling times through personal practice and a genius concept he has created called “togethering.”